Document
Notice of Petition for Extension of Waiver of Compliance
This document provides the public notice that the BNSF Railway (BNSF) petitioned FRA for relief from certain regulations concerning track inspections.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Under part 211 of title 49 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), this document provides the public notice that by letter received July 9, 2025, BNSF petitioned FRA for an extension of a waiver of compliance from certain provisions of the Federal railroad safety regulations contained at 49 CFR part 213 (Track Safety Standards). FRA assigned the petition Docket Number FRA-2020-0064.
BNSF requests extended relief from § 213.233(b) and (c),
Visual track inspections,
which specifies the method and frequency for visual track inspections. BNSF seeks to continue using a combination of track geometry measurement system (TGMS) and visual track inspection methods on three territories: the Powder River Division, the Southern Transcon corridor, and the Northern Transcon corridor. BNSF states that the territories have seen “substantial improvements” in defect rates “compared to their pre-waiver periods.” The petition seeks relief for a six-month period from its expiration date (January 19, 2026), and states that FRA is considering relief for the Association of American Railroads on “substantially similar subject matter” in Docket Number FRA-2025-0059.
A copy of the petition, as well as any written communications concerning the petition, is available for review online at
www.regulations.gov.
Interested parties are invited to participate in these proceedings by submitting written views, data, or comments. FRA does not anticipate scheduling a public hearing in connection with these proceedings since the facts do not appear to warrant a hearing. If any interested party desires an opportunity for oral comment and a public hearing, they should notify FRA, in writing, before the end of the comment period and specify the basis for their request.
Communications received by December 19, 2025 will be considered by FRA before final action is taken. Comments received after that date will be considered if practicable.
Privacy Act
Anyone can search the electronic form of any written communications and comments received into any of FRA's dockets by the name of the individual submitting the comment (or signing the document, if submitted on behalf of an association, business, labor union, etc.). Under 5 U.S.C. 553(c), DOT solicits comments from the public to inform its processes. DOT posts these comments, without edit, including any personal information the commenter provides, to
www.regulations.gov,
as described in the system of records notice (DOT/ALL-14 FDMS), which can be reviewed at
https://www.transportation.gov/privacy. See also
https://www.regulations.gov/privacy-notice
for the privacy notice of
regulations.gov.
Issued in Washington, DC.
John Karl Alexy,
Associate Administrator for Railroad Safety, Chief Safety Officer.